THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

ORIGIN OF NAME:
The name "the North-Western Territories," initially
assigned by the British government, once referred to all the lands held by
the Hudson's Bay Company.

CAPITAL:
Yellowknife.

NICKNAME:
Canada's Last Frontier, Land of the Polar Bear, or North of Sixty.

ENTERED CONFEDERATION:
15 July 1870; reorganized 1 September 1905.

MOTTO:
The New North (unofficial).

COAT OF ARMS:
The crest consists of two golden narwhals (representing marine life) on
either side of a compass rose, which symbolizes the magnetic north pole.
The white upper portion of the shield represents the polar ice pack and is
crossed by a wavy blue band symbolic of the Northwest Passage. The wavy
diagonal line symbolizing the treeline separates the red (the tundra of
the north) from the green (the forested lands of the south). The
historical economic resources of the land—mineral wealth and the
fur industry—are represented respectively by gold bricks in the
green portion and the head of a white fox in the red area.

FLAG:
The territorial shield of arms centered on a white field, with two
vertical blue panels on either side. The white symbolizes the snow and ice
of the winter, while the blue represents the territory's lakes and
waters.

FLORAL EMBLEM:
Mountain avens.

TARTAN:
The official tartan of the Northwest Territories is a registered design
in shades of red, green, yellow, and blue.

TERRITORIAL BIRD:
Gyrfalcon.

TREE:
Jack pine.

MINERAL:
Gold.

TIME:
5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1 LOCATION AND SIZE

At some time in its history, the Northwest Territories (NWT) has
included all of Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and Nunavut, and most
of Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec. The Northwest Territories
occupies about six percent of the total land area of the country. The
NWT has a total area of 587,206 square miles (1,541,844 square
kilometers), making it almost as large as the state of Alaska.

Between 1905 and 1999, the Northwest Territories included all of Canada
north of the 60th parallel, except the Yukon and portions of Québec
and Newfoundland. On 1 April 1999, the NWT was officially divided, with
the eastern part becoming the new territory of Nunavut. The western part
so far has kept the name "Northwest Territories," but is
sometimes referred to as "western NWT" or "Western
Arctic" in order to avoid confusion with the larger pre-1999 NWT.
The NWT is now bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, Beaufort Sea,
and polar ice; on the east by Nunavut; on the south by Saskatchewan,
Alberta, and British Columbia; and on the west by the Yukon Territory.
From the 60th parallel, the NWT stretches 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers)
to Cape Malloch on Borden Island; the territory is 823 miles (1,325
kilometers) long from east to west. The NWT covers 452,478 square miles
(1,171,918 square kilometers) and includes Banks Island, Prince Patrick
Island, and the western portions of Victoria Island and Melville Island.

Northwest Territories Population Profile

Estimated 2003 population

41,900

Population change, 1996–2001

-5.8%

Percent Urban/Rural populations

Urban

58.4%

Rural

41.6%

Foreign born population

6.4%

Population by ethnicity

Canadian

7,255

English

6,175

Scottish

5,190

Irish

4,470

Inuit

4,140

French

3,860

North American Indian

3,375

German

3,005

Métis

2,955

Ukrainian

1,270

Dutch (Netherlands)

750

Polish

650

Norwegian

590

Population by Age Group

Top Cities

City

Population, 2001

Yellowknife

16,055

Hay River

2,892

Inuvik

2,884

2 TOPOGRAPHY

Like the Yukon, the NWT can be divided into two broad geographical
regions: the taiga (a boreal forest belt that circles the subarctic zone
and is typified by stands of pine, aspen, poplar, and birch trees), and
the tundra (a rocky arctic region where the cold climate has stunted
vegetation). One of the most remarkable features of the NWT is the
Mackenzie River, one of the world's longest at 2,635 miles (4,241
kilometers).

The delta of the Mackenzie River is a haven for waterfowl and
whales. The Mackenzie is part of the second-longest river system
in North America. The river was explored in 1789 by Sir Alexander
Mackenzie, for whom it is named.

M. Milne, Economic Development & Tourism, GNWT.

3 CLIMATE

There are two major climate zones in the NWT: subarctic and arctic. In
the subarctic zone, average temperatures in January are -9°
F
(–23°
C
) and 70°
F
(21°
C
) in July, while average temperatures in the arctic zone range from
-27°
F
(–33°
C
) in January to 50°
F
(10°
C
) in July. The average temperatures in Yellowknife are 8°
F
(–22°
C
) from November to March and 57°
F
(14°
C
) from June to August. As in the Yukon, the varying amounts of daylight
over the year are an important influence on the climate: between 20 and
24 hours of daylight in June and up to 24 hours of darkness in December.
The lowest recorded temperature was -71°
F
(–57.2°
C
) at Fort Smith on 26 December 1917.

5 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The Environmental Protection Service of the Department of Resources,
Wildlife, and Economic Development of the NWT (RWED) has programs to
address hazardous substances, waste management, air quality, and
environmental impact assessment. Since the early 1990's, dust
conditions in Yellowknife have improved and the 2002 total suspended
particulate (TSP) levels were the lowest ever. The Giant Mine gold
roaster was the largest single source of sulphur dioxide in the
Yellowknife area until it closed in 1999. Only minor levels of sulphur
dioxide had been detected by 2002. The Arctic Environmental Strategy
introduced by the federal government in 1991 as part of its Green Plan
involves northerners in projects to protect the arctic environment. It
also supports communities in the development of their own plans to deal
with environmental issues. The NWT has a beverage recycling program and
encourages composting.

6 POPULATION

According to the 2001 census, the NWT had a population of 37,360; only
the Yukon and Nunavut were smaller. Yellowknife, the capital, had a
population of 16,055 in 2001. Other urban areas, and their 2001
populations, include Hay River, 2,892, and Inuvik, 2,884.

The median age of the NWT in 2001 was 30.1 years. This was much younger
than the national average of 37.6. It was second youngest only to
Nunavut, which was 22.1 years.

7 ETHNIC GROUPS

In 2001, Aboriginals (Native Peoples) accounted for 47.2 percent of the
western NWT's population. In the western Arctic, the Dene have
inhabited the forests and barrens for the past 2,500 years. Once nomads,
today they live in communities, many still using traditional skills of
hunting, trapping, and fishing. There are four major Dene cultural
groups: Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey (north and south), and Gwich'in
(Loucheux). The Inuvialuit reside primarily around the Mackenzie River
delta. The Métis are descendants of Dene and ethnic European
parentage and comprise eight percent of the territory's
population. Other ethnicities found in the western NWT include Irish,
French, German, and Ukrainian.

8 LANGUAGES

The NWT has eight official languages, but English is the language used
most often for business and commerce. As of 2001, 77 percent of the
territory's residents claimed English as their native language,
while 2.6 percent declared French as their mother tongue. The Dene have
four linguistic groups: Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey (north and south), and
Gwich'in (Loucheux).

9 RELIGIONS

In 2001, 31.3 percent of the population—about 11,610
people—were Protestant, including Anglicans, members of the
United Church of Canada, Pentecostals,
Baptists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, in that order. The territory
also had about 17,000 Catholics and about 180 people of Muslim faith.
There were less than 160 people each of the following: Eastern Orthodox,
Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. About 6,600 people had no religious
affiliation in 2001.

10 TRANSPORTATION

Territorial highways are mostly all-weather gravel roads, with some
paved sections; clouds of dust, flying gravel, soft spots, and long
distances between service stations are common. In the north, the
Dempster Highway (#8) connects Inuvik, on the Mackenzie River delta,
with Dawson, Yukon, across the Richardson Mountains. In the south, the
Mackenzie Highway (#1) provides access to Alberta via connecting roads
leading from Yellowknife (#3), Hay River (#2), Fort Resolution (#6), and
Fort Smith (#5). The Liard Highway (#7) provides entry to British
Columbia. The Canol Road (#9) and the Nahanni Range Road also provide
access from the Yukon, but terminate just inside the NWT border. In
2003, the NWT had 22,005 registered motor vehicles, 3,429 trailers, 371
motorcycles and mopeds, 95 buses, and 1,105 off-road vehicles.

From January to March, the coldest months of the Canadian winter,
truckers drive heavy and dangerous loads across hundreds of miles of ice
roads plowed on frozen lakes in order to deliver supplies to mines.
There are no roads to many of the mines, which are often isolated by
hundreds of lakes scattered across the territory.

English explorer Henry Hudson, while looking for a passage to
Asia, landed briefly on the western shore of the bay that now
bears his name.

EPD Photos.

When the lakes freeze over for the winter, roads are plowed into the
ice across the lakes.

Ferry service is provided in the summer for Highways 1, 3, and 8, which
cross major rivers; in the winter, motorists simply drive over the
frozen rivers. During the freezing months of fall and thawing months of
spring, however, crossings by vehicles are not possible.

Air Canada provides service to Yellowknife from Edmonton, Alberta.

11 HISTORY

Northern Exploration

The Northwest Territories include many islands, lakes, rivers and the
northernmost
portions of mainland Canada. The first Inuit (the name given to Eskimos
in Canada) are believed to have crossed the Bering Strait, a land bridge
separating Asia and North America, about 5,000 years ago. They spread
east along the Arctic coast and were the only people in the area for
thousands of years.

The very first European explorers to arrive there were most likely the
Vikings, who sailed to the eastern Arctic Ocean around 1000
A.D.
The first documented visit (a visit for which definite records exist)
to the territory was led by English explorer Martin Frobisher in 1576.
In 1610, English navigator Henry Hudson, while looking for a sea passage
to Asia (the Northwest Passage that links the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans), landed briefly on the western shore of the bay that now bears
his name. His discovery opened the door for further exploration of the
New World's interior. In the years that followed, European
explorers like Thomas Button, Thomas James, and Luke Foxe traveled to
the region and mapped a large portion of the eastern Arctic,
particularly the western coast of Hudson Bay.

In 1670, in an effort to stimulate the area's fur trade, the
British government granted the lands west of modern Ontario to the
Hudson's Bay Company. The company set up fur-trading posts along
the rivers to the west as far as Alberta. They also established a few
posts farther north along the shores of Hudson Bay. In 1770, the company
sent one of its employees, Samuel Hearne, on an expedition north of its
territorial borders into what would become the Northwest Territories.
Although his journey was a success in terms of the area he
covered—about 3,200 kilometers in total—the number of
fur-bearing animals he encountered was lower than he had expected.

The Fur Trade and Whaling Industry

The exploration reports of a rival trading agency, the North West
Company, were more encouraging. In his 1789 journey along the river that
now bears his name, Alexander Mackenzie noted that the forests lining
this waterway were full of fur-bearing animals. The North West Company
soon set up posts along the Mackenzie River. Meanwhile, however, the
Hudson's Bay Company became interested in trading in the area. A
fierce competition developed between the two companies, and the rivalry
continued until 1821, when the North West Company was taken over by the
Hudson's Bay Company. Hudson's Bay had succeeded in
forming a trade monopoly over all of the explored land in northwestern
Canada and was responsible for maintaining law and order there as well.

Fur trading wasn't the only industry doing well in the Northwest
in the nineteenth century. Whaling became a big business, as well. The
Inuit had hunted whales for centuries, eating the skin and blubber,
using the whalebones to make tools and build furniture, and burning the
oil for light and heat. Europeans began whaling in the Northwest back in
the 1600s, mostly looking for valuable whale oil. Whaling activity
peaked between 1820 and 1840.

Between the fur traders and the whalers, Europeans reshaped the
Northwest Territories, bringing with them a new economy and way of life.
Communities grew around trading posts, mission schools, and Royal
Canadian Mounted Police stations with the arrival of fur traders,
missionaries, and government officials. Caribou, used as food for the
whalers, became scarce, so the Inuit had to turn to the Europeans for
food and clothing. Prior to this, the Inuit were completely
self-sufficient, meaning they were able to live on their own from the
land and the sea. This sudden reliance on trade with the settlers
changed their lives forever. The Europeans also brought diseases like
typhus, scarlet fever, and measles to the Northwest Territories. The
Inuit had never been exposed to these diseases before, and many died
because they lacked the resistance necessary to fight them off.

Territorial Boundaries

In 1870, the British government transferred control of the
Hudson's Bay Company's land to Canada. This included all
of the Northwest Territories, as well as most of the rest of western
Canada. Later, the government added the islands of the Arctic
archipelago to the Territories.

The westernmost part of the Northwest Territories was the location of
the Klondike gold strike in 1896. The resulting rush of settlers (hence
the term
gold rush
) into the region prompted the Canadian government to create a separate
territory, the Yukon Territory, in 1898. In 1905, both Alberta and
Saskatchewan were created from the Territories. Seven years later, the
provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec were enlarged, and the
Northwest Territories assumed the boundaries it would maintain until its
division in 1999.

Growth During World War II

Since land in the Northwest Territories is so remote and its climate is
so harsh, it was largely overlooked by settlers and developers for
decades after its creation. By World War II (1939–45), however,
mineral exploration and the military were playing a role in northern
development. Radium, a radioactive metal, was discovered in the Great
Bear Lake region in the 1930s, and in 1935 a major gold find was made in
Yellowknife. This discovery, along with better transportation routes,
brought more settlers to the area. Yellowknife's population grew
from 200 before 1930 to 1,000 by the mid-1940s. When a hydroelectric
plant was built in Yellowknife in 1948, even more people and industries
were drawn to the city.

During World War II, the location of the Northwest Territories made it
an important part of North America's defense. To protect Canada
and the United States from enemy attack, military bases and airstrips
were built along the Arctic Coast. An oil pipeline was also built at
this time to transport oil from the Northwest Territories to the Yukon.

During the 1950s and 1960s, bombers were stationed in the Northwest
Territories to keep an eye on northern Canadian airspace. Prior to the
development of ballistic missiles, this served a vital role in the
defense of North America against a possible
nuclear attack from the Soviet Union. Also in the late 1950s, the
educational system in the Northwest Territories was largely reformed.
Until this point, schooling had been provided almost exclusively through
church missions. In 1959, the federal government of Canada instituted a
territorial school system; ten years later, operation of the school
system was turned over to the territorial government.

The Issue of Land Claims

The issue of settling Aboriginal, or native, land claims in the
Northwest Territories (as well as in other parts of Canada) emerged in
the 1970s. The native people argued that their culture, ways of life,
and rights to the land were lost with the arrival of Europeans to the
region. Their grievances were presented to the federal government, and
in 1984, a final agreement was reached with the Inuvialuit of the
western Northwest Territories. It provided some 2,500 people with 91,000
square kilometers (35,100 square miles) of land, monetary compensation,
hunting rights, and a greater role in solving social and environmental
problems. In 1992, the Gwich'in (another group of native people)
settled a similar land claim that provided them with a variety of
environmental rights, monetary compensation, and two portions of land:
22,422 square kilometers (8,657 square miles) in the northwestern
portion of the Northwest Territories and 1,554 square kilometers (600
square miles) in the Yukon.

By far, though, the largest land claim to be settled in Canada was
reached with the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut in 1993. The agreement
provided about 17,500 Inuit of the eastern Northwest Territories with
350,000 square kilometers of land, financial compensation, a share in
resource royalties, hunting rights, and a greater role in the management
of land and the environment. The final agreement also led to the
creation of a new territory, Nunavut, on the first of April 1999. The
creation of this new territory has changed the Northwest Territories
considerably. The area is much smaller, and the population is now almost
evenly split between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals. Matters such as
land claims and self-government will undoubtedly continue to create
controversy early in the twenty-first century.

In 2004, Premier Joe Handley called for a greater openness and
discussion in local communities. Local and regional leaders were
encouraged to work together in the emerging self-governments of
municipalities.

12 PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

In the NWT, political power rests with elected representatives. Although
a federally appointed commissioner is technically in charge of the
territorial administration, the role of that office has diminished, and
it generally follows the lead of the elected territorial government.
Executive power is held by a 19-seat elected assembly, whose members
remain as political independents. This assembly then appoints a 7-person
executive council, of which 1 is chosen as government leader for the
territorial government (in 1994 the title "government
leader" was changed to "premier").

13 POLITICAL PARTIES

Territorial legislators campaign as political independents. The last
election was held on 24 November 2003.

Commissioners of Northwest Territories

Term

Commissioner

1905–19

Frederick D. White

1919–31

William Wallace Cory

1931–34

Hugh Howard Rowatt

1936–46

Charles Camsell

1947–50

Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside

1950–53

Hugh Andrew Young

1953–63

Robert Gordon Robertson

1963–67

Bent Gestur Sivertz

1967–79

Stuart Milton Hodgson

1979–89

John Havelock Parker

1989–94

Daniel Leonard Norris

1995–99

Helen Maksagak

1999–00

Daniel Joseph Marion

2000–

Glenna F. Hansen

Government Leaders of Northwest Territories

Term

Government Leader

1980–84

George Braden

1984–85

Richard Nerysoo

1985–87

Nick Gordon Sibbeston

1987–91

Dennis Glen Patterson

1991–94

Nellie Joy Cournoyea

Premiers of Northwest Territories

Term

Premier

1994–95

Nellie Joy Cournoyea

1995–98

Don Morin

1998–00

James Antoine

2000–03

Stephen Kakfwi

2003–

Joe Handley

14 LOCAL GOVERNMENT

A village must have a total assessed value of
C
$10 million for the entire community to be incorporated; for a town,
C
$50 million; and for a city, more than
C
$200 million. As of 2004, Yellowknife was the sole city; there were also
four towns, one village, ten hamlets, three settlements, and four
charter communities. There were also twelve "first
nations," or aboriginal bands, which had a degree of
self-government.

15 JUDICIAL SYSTEM

The Canadian Constitution grants territorial and provincial jurisdiction
over the administration of justice, and allows each territory and
province to organize its own court system and police forces. The federal
government has exclusive domain over cases involving trade and commerce,
banking, bankruptcy, and criminal law. The Federal Court of Canada has
both trial and appellate divisions for federal cases. The nine-judge
Supreme Court of Canada is an appellate court that determines the
constitutionality of both federal and territorial statutes. The Tax
Court of Canada hears appeals of taxpayers against assessments by
Revenue Canada.

The territorial court system consists of a Territorial Court, which
deals with most criminal offenses, family law matters, youth
proceedings, small claims, and traffic violations; a Supreme Court of
the Northwest Territories, which handles serious criminal and civil
cases; and a Court of Appeal, which is the highest court in the
territories, hearing appeals from the Territorial Court and the Supreme
Court of the Northwest Territories.

The annual number of homicides varies, but usually ranges from 2 to 10.
Because of the small population, the NWT often has the highest homicide
rate in Canada. In 2002, there were 4 homicides in the territory. That
year, there were 5,688 violent crimes per 100,000 persons and 6,046
property crimes per 100,000 persons.

16 MIGRATION

Some 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, the ancestors of the modern day Dene
crossed a land bridge over the Bering Sea and dispersed throughout the
Western Hemisphere. The Dene first migrated into what is now the NWT
some 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. The Inuvialuit migrated into the NWT from
Alaska in the 1800s, replacing the Mackenzie Inuit who were decimated by
diseases introduced from migrant whalers.

In 2001, 19.5 percent of the 2,355 immigrants living in the NWT had come
from the United Kingdom, 9.1 percent from United States, 21.9 percent
from Southeast Asia (mostly from the Philippines), and 14.2 percent from
Northern and Western European countries other than the United Kingdom
(mostly from Germany).

During 2001, 1.5 percent of the NWT population age 5 and over were
living abroad. About 6.6 percent were living elsewhere in the NWT, and
16.8 percent were living in another province. Most interprovincial
migration is with Alberta.

17 ECONOMY

The Aboriginal Peoples' traditional subsistence
activities—fishing, hunting, and trapping—have an impact
on the territorial economy. Sports fishing and big-game hunting also
play a small role. Commercial fishery development in the NWT—both
freshwater and saltwater—is being encouraged. Fur harvesting
continues to be very important, supplementing the income of many
Aboriginal families.

Inuit arts and crafts distribute a greater amount of income more widely
than any other economic activity; some 1 in 14 people of working age in
the NWT earns some income by this means.

The settling of northern land claims sets the stage for increased
economic activity in which all can share and have a voice. But even if
development is welcome and necessary for economic prosperity, it must be
managed so as not to threaten the fragile arctic ecosystem and the
traditional lifestyles of the northern peoples.

In 2002, the NWT had a gross domestic product (GDP) of
C
$2.9 billion, or about 0.25 percent of the national total.

18 INCOME

In 2000, the average family income was
C
$79,241 for a family of five. This was the highest average family income
of all the provinces.

19 INDUSTRY

Industry in the NWT centers on processing raw materials. Food products,
wood, printing and publishing, nonmetallic mineral products, and
chemical products are important manufacturing sectors. In 2002, the
value of manufactured shipments for the NWT was
C
$43.6 million.

20 LABOR

As of 2002, employment in the NWT was 21,000 persons. There were 1,300
unemployed persons, and the unemployment rate that year was 5.8 percent.
The hourly minimum wage as of January 2004 was
C
$8.25, the second-highest rate among the provinces, behind Nunavut.

21 AGRICULTURE

A brief but intense summer growing season (due to the midnight sun)
limits local production of crops, of which seasonal berries and produce
for home consumption are the most prominent. There were 30 farms in the
NWT in 2001. Farms in the territories are smaller than those in the
southern provinces, averaging under 150 acres. Hay accounts for
three-quarters of total field crops in the territories. Reindeer,
musk-oxen, and horses are found on territory farms.

The territorial government has been involved in a joint project with the
University of Alberta to study the use of fiber optics to illuminate
greenhouses with natural light on a year-round basis.

22 DOMESTICATED ANIMALS

For centuries, indigenous peoples have bred dogs as draft animals to
carry packs and later to pull sleds. Before modern transportation was
available, dog teams often served as the primary form of transportation
during the winter months. The territory has no commercial cattle, pig,
sheep, or poultry farms. Fur trapping is still practiced and is an
important contributor to the economy. In the 2001/02 season, fur
production was valued at
C
$780,000.

23 FISHING

The Dene and Inuvialuit once depended on subsistence fishing to sustain
their families and dog teams. Today, sport fishing is a popular activity
and is a source of income from tourism. In 2000, there were 4,720 active
resident anglers in the NWT. Over 20 world sport fishing records have
been set in the NWT. Principal species sought include lake trout, arctic
grayling, arctic char, northern pike, walleye, and whitefish.

24 FORESTRY

Although 151.8 million acres (61.4 million hectares)—or 58
percent—of the NWT is covered by forests, only 35.4 million acres
(14.3 million hectares) of this land is useful for tree harvesting. The
territorial government owns 83 percent of the forests and the federal
government controls the remaining 17 percent. In 2002, the forest
industry produced $110,548 of domestic exports, almost entirely
converted paper. Cuba is the main export

The EKATI Diamond Mine is located approximately 300 kilometers
(200 miles) northeast of Yellowknife. In 2004, it was producing
nearly six percent of the world's diamonds by value.

Courtesy of BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc.

market for the NWT's wood products (78 percent of total
exports).

25 MINING

Mining is by far the largest private sector of the NWT economy. In 2003,
the total value of mineral production was
C
$1.8 billion, with diamonds and gold accounting for nearly all of this
amount. Production in 2003 included 2,746 kilograms (6,053.8 pounds) of
gold and 11.2 million diamond carats. That year, the NWT provided 100
percent of the value of Canada's diamond and tungsten production.
The NWT also produced small amounts of silver, sand and gravel, and
stone in 2003.

The first major gold discovery in the western NWT was made in 1935 on
the west side of Yellowknife Bay, an area than is still mined. In 1991,
the discovery of diamonds in the NWT started one of the largest land
claim rushes in recent Canadian history. During 1993–98,
expenditures on diamond exploration in the NWT totaled
C
$744 million and accounted for more than 15 percent of Canada's
mining exploration expenditures. Expenditures on diamonds increased to
about
C
$160 million in 2000.

Canada's first diamond mine, the EKATI open-pit mine at Lac de
Gras, opened in October 1998. As of 2003, there were five kimberlite
pipes (pipe-shaped deposits of molten rock that has solidified) at the
EKATI Diamond Mine at Lac de Gras (Panda, Koala, Misery, Fox, and
Leslie), and applications were being processed for three more
(Beartooth, Sable, and Pigeon). Four additional pipes were being
sampled.

26 ENERGY AND POWER

Oil and gas exploration and development are important to the
territory's economy, but the industry is open to wide
fluctuations in world markets. The Norman Wells oil field has been in
production since 1943. The field was expanded in 1985. The field
produces between 11 and 12 million barrels per year, valued at
C
$250–
C
$300 million per year. Natural gas is produced at Fort Liard, Pointed
Mountain, Ikhil, and Norman Wells. New gas discoveries around Fort Liard
came on stream in 2000. Initial production rates of 50 million cubic
feet per day have been achieved. In 2002, 1.24 million cubic meters of
crude petroleum were produced, valued at
C
$289.27 million. That year, 848 million cubic meters (29.95 billion
cubic feet) of natural gas were produced, worth
C
$107.28 million. In 2000/01, electricity generated totaled 334 gigawatt
hours.

27 COMMERCE

In 2002, total merchandise exports for the Northwest Territories,
Nunavut, and the Yukon amounted to
C
$1.1 billion. Total imports for the three territories amounted to
C
$65 million. The major export markets were Belgium, the United Kingdom,
Germany, the United States, and Finland. The major import suppliers were
the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.
Over 83 percent of merchandise exports from the three territories were
pearls and precious stones (including diamonds). Retail trade in the NWT
amounted to
C
$505.6 million in 2002.

Inuit arts and crafts account for a great amount of retail income in the
NWT, spread out over a wide geographical area. About one in 14 persons
of working age in the NWT earns some income through the sales of craft
items. Services related to tourism have become increasingly important
sources of income.

28 PUBLIC FINANCE

The fiscal year runs from 1 April to 31 March. For fiscal year 2002/03,
total revenues were estimated at
C
$856 million, about 45 percent coming from the government of Canada.
Expenditures were almost
C
$853 million. Major expenditure areas were health, education, public
works, social services, municipal and community services, NWT housing
corporation, renewable resources, transportation, and economic
development and tourism.

29 TAXATION

The NWT has no provincial sales tax. There is a
C
$0.107 per liter tax on gasoline, and a tax of
C
$33.20 per carton on cigarettes.

The territorial income tax rates in 2003 ranged from 7.2 to 13.05
percent. The combined federal/territorial tax rate on ordinary income
was 42.05 percent for the top marginal rate.

30 HEALTH

In 2001, there were 613 live births in the NWT, a decrease of 8.9
percent over 2000. There were 163 deaths that year, a 3.8 increase over
2000. The NWT was one of only four provinces or territories to have an
increase in the number of deaths in 2001. The life expectancy in 2001
was 74.4 years for men, and 79.6 years for women. These were the
second-lowest life expectancy rates in Canada. Only Nunavut had lower
life expectancy rates. Reported cases of selected diseases in 2002 for
the NWT included gonococcal infections, 123; chicken pox, 68;
giardiasis, 10; and salmonellosis, 8. Between November 1985 and June
2003, 35 residents had become infected with HIV, the virus that causes
AIDS.

Larger communities such as Yellowknife, Inuvik, Hay River, and Fort
Smith have well-equipped hospitals; smaller communities have nursing
stations. Air ambulance (Medevac) service is available throughout the
NWT and is coordinated by the local nursing stations.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a health problem in the NWT. Smoking
rates are among the highest in Canada.

31 HOUSING

In 2001, there were 12,565 households in the NWT, and the average number
of persons in a household was 2.9, the second-highest number after
Nunavut. Due to permafrost and a short construction season, the cost of
building a house is more expensive in NWT than elsewhere in Canada. In
2001, 8,085 households lived in single-detached houses, 245 households
lived in apartments in buildings with five or more stories, 485
households lived in mobile homes, and 3,745 households lived in other
dwellings, including row houses and apartments in buildings with fewer
than five stories. In 2002,
C
$102.1 million was invested in residential construction.

32 EDUCATION

Elementary and secondary schools are supported by eight community boards
of education and by the provincial Department of Education. There are 46
public schools offering instruction in English, 2 schools offering
instruction in French, and 3 private schools. There were approximately
9,800 students enrolled in all schools in 2001.

Aurora College (formerly the Arctic College) has campuses in Inuvik,
Fort Smith, and Yellowknife. There are Community Learning Centres (CLC),
operated by Aurora College, in most communities. Postsecondary community
college enrollment in western NWT in 2001 was about 1,200 full-and
part-time students.

33 ARTS

Nearly every community in the NWT has artisans who produce clothing,
accessories, tools, weavings, beadwork, jewelry, or carvings. Other
skilled crafts include the making of birchbark baskets, moose-hair
tuftings, and porcupine quillwork. Studios are often found in the more
populous areas of Holman, Inuvik, Fort Laird, and Yellowknife. Inuvik is
the site of the mid-summer Great Northern Arts Festival, which draws
artisans from throughout the territory. Per capita territorial spending
on the arts in the NWT in 2000/01 was
C
$172, much higher than the national average (
C
$68) for the territories and provinces.

34 LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

The NWT Public Library Services, based in Hay River, coordinates public
library service throughout the territory. Member libraries are located
in Fort Norman, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Hay River Reserve,
Igloolik, Inuvik, Norman Wells, and Yellowknife. Museums in the NWT
include the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, the
Northern Life Museum & National Exhibition Centre at Fort Smith,
and the Nunatta Sunaqutangit Museum at Iqaluit.

35 COMMUNICATIONS

Yellowknife has 3 radio stations (2 AM and 1 FM). CABL-TV is a cable
television station based in Yellowknife; Mackenzie Media Ltd. provides
cable service to the capital.

36 PRESS

37 TOURISM, TRAVEL, AND RECREATION

Recently, tourism has become increasingly important. The NWT offers a
variety of landscapes of great natural beauty, which are well-suited to
fishing, wildlife observation, and other outdoor activities. The western
NWT has four national parks: Nahanni National Park Reserve, west of the
Liard River in the Mackenzie Mountains; Wood Buffalo National Park, west
of Fort Smith and extending into Alberta; Aulavik National Park, on
northern Banks Island; and Tuktut Nogait National Park, located
northeast of Inuvik. Great Slave Lake's East Arm is currently
under consideration as the NWT's fifth national park.

38 SPORTS

Local sporting organizations (for such sports as badminton, basketball,
track and field, and volleyball) are popular in the territory, as are
canoeing and kayaking.

39 FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Early English explorers who traveled the waterways of the NWT in search
of a northwest passage included Sir Martin Frobisher (1539?–94)
and Henry Hudson (d.1611). Famous early fur traders included Sir
Alexander Mackenzie (b.Scotland, 1764–1820), who explored the
Slave River and Great Slave Lake area, and American Peter Pond
(1740–1807), who established the first trading post.

Nellie Joy Cournoyea (b.1940), from Aklavik, became the first woman head
of government in Canada upon her 1991 election as government leader of
the NWT.
Ethel Blondin-Andrew (b.1951), from Fort Norman, became the first
Native woman elected to the Canadian parliament, in 1988. Actress Margot
Kidder (b.1948) is a native of Yellowknife.

Thanks so much for the information!
This helped me big time on my Northwest Territory assignment at school! I appreciate it very much!
I'll be sure to get an A+ with the facts that this had given me!
Thanks again! ;D

hi i have 4 questions for you:
1. Who are famous people in these regions?
2.IS your region famous for doing anything first in canada in the world? What special accomplishments are famous in the region?
3.Is your region known for anything in particular?
4.Are there interesting landmarks, famous buildings, or other cultural activities or organizations?
thank you so much for your help
:)

This helped a lot :) I had to do a lot of questions for a worksheet I had in my reading class after we read the book Far North... I got about 24 out of 26 questions on this page :D It wasn't easy searching everything up randomly and then this page popped up when I searched something and I found the rest of the answers :3 This was VERY useful :) It has a lot of much needed information and I am so glad I found this website otherwise I would probably make an AWFUL grade on it because after I can't find something, I will just guess the answers.